Furnace cover operating mechanism



June 28, 1949. C, WEST 2,474,505

. FURNAGEi COVER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Deo. 1, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 1 IT Il Il June 2s, 1949. 7 H, 'WEST y 2,474,505

FURNACE COVER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. l, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented June 28, 1949 Apnliatimpesm-bsn 1. 1944, Serial N1 56%,..1-5-v This :tnvezmgn mates mfurna@ qvssr vQ11-A1=- insmeehmism, I1; .relates pgrtularly te mism 5m a. fuma@ @ver bebwex; 9pm. and eslasedpsitons Theamvsmon. 1 applicablewo msaahamm for 12p-@rating mmm. which .clem generally :upwardly .apen I urnge@ fior example..- as. p11; type -Iurmceinvent-ion is bemin @hwg-and demribd .as apa; plied, to. mhamsm ipx-@grafting 11m @ver .Qi an -mgotheatmg mmes.

Yanous mekxamsm have herstogrg bsmuizl: lized minima-bmg the myers Qigenmlly gp..- wmdly @mail-:mmm it is de simblfn 12.1%. 9mm aktion Ao! snehfmnme comers. no 1m11- raie v.sever out of santas@ with the furnace am@ .$116.11 movehe .soy-.er latprally to maar mamma@ 912mmg.. The. mechanlsm 1 1 1ne1s9fome-gzllznplsay ed im thusaperatingimna1-e .cm/.eres have :hee emr-1 any .making cpmplmaxed .and .expslls e. .and likely to beeomeput o f ordm .Q11 .1.

The imma@ heat @tends Tt9 15.1.152- @mr -Qperaftingmachamsm .and makes 1L .@Xrmey dimult .to mantam lblbriatiqn Qi lprwlde a mma@ comer operating megklam-sm parts 'a1-.mmh that my .allem warpirg tlasryf. n use dp.e mi; .denrimentally @11991 the 9115112111911 Q ff the-pivotfin a generally verticalgglgnfgm r esl.. @1.19m .521.11%

111' disgpd .1119.L 111e.-- n 121611215111111 @95.51.11.913 a Q9 maintaining engagement with the cove; tingom? .rrpgcfiy .9..f .me @9.51.1911 pf 1119 Q9 9.11 ,e ample Prwvf l@hei yeptovt alims, 10; n 111.1

the furnace walls, as shown in Figure 1. A structural member I4 is interposed between the conduit I3 and the binding I2. The conduit is mounted on the furnace supporting structure and not upon the refractory wall structure. Yet it surrounds the upper extremity of the refractory wall structure and is in thermoconductive relation therewith so that when cooling fluid passes through the conduit it will cool not only the conduit itself but by conduction through the conduit wall the upper extremity of the refractory portion of the furnace and also, when the cover is in place, the portion of the cover which is in contact or proximity with the conduit. Cooling fluid is circulated through the conduit I3 in any suitable manner, iiuid inlet and outlet connections, not shown, being provided.

The cover 5 includes a peripherally extending metal portion II whose under surface is smooth and which, as clearly appears in Figure 1, is

adapted to rest on top of the conduit I3 -when the cover is in place. The central portion of the cover is of refractory material, as are the walls 4 and 5. The cover also includes a metal superstructure I 3 extending thereabout. The superstructure i8 carries bearings in which are mounted wheels I9 on which the cover is adapted to be rolled from its position over the furnace opening to a position offset from the furnace opening to permit ingots to be charged into and withdrawn from the furnace. In Figure 1 the cover 5 is shown in closed position in central vertical cross section and it is shown in open position in chain lines.

I provide a foundation having a metal superstructure 2i carrying eyelets 22, one at each side of the superstructure. Pivoted to the eyelets 22 by coaxial horizontal pivot pins 23 is a track supporting structure comprising opposed beams Z4, one at each side of the furnace. Each of the beams 24 has at its end opposite the end at which it is pivoted to one of the eyelets 22 a bracket 25 to which is pivoted at 2S the piston rod 23 of a piston operable Within a cylinder Si! pivoted at to a bracket 32 mounted on the furnace supporting structure II. Suitable fluid connections and control mechanism, not shown, are provided for the cylinders 30 so that fluid under pressure can be admitted below the pistons in said cylinders to raise the pistons. The connections and control mechanism are such that fluid will be admitted into both cylinders simultaneously below the respective pistons therein and will be discharged from the cylinders simultaneously. lll/hen the pistons in the two cylinders 30 are raised the beams 24 are tilted from their full line posi-` tion to their chain line position viewing Figure 1. In other words, they are swung about the corninon axis of the pivot pins 23 so that their lefthand ends viewing Figure 1 are raised.

Each of the beams 24 lies beneath the two` wheels wat one side of the cover 6. Mounted on each beam 24 directly beneath the wheels lil at the corresponding side of the cover is a track .4; 33. Each track 33 has at each end an upward projection 34 against which a wheel of the cover comes to resti when the cover has moved to its extreme position in that direction, the projections 34 thus serving as stops to limit movement of the cover along the tracks in both directions.

When the beams `24 are in their lowermost position viewing Figure ,1, the tracks 33 are out of contactv with the wheels I9 and the cover 5 rests upon the pipe I3 so as to close the furnace. When the pistons are raised in the cylinders 3i), tilting the beams 24 as above described, the tracks 33 engage the wheels I9 and raise the cover to a position above and clear of the furnace and in which it is supported on the tracks 33. When the beams 24 are returned to their lowermost position by lowering of the pistons in the cylinders 30 the cover is reseated on the pipe I3 to close the furnace.

The foundation 2IJ carries a bracket '35 in which is mounted a pivot pin 3G to which are pivoted the lower ends of opposed lever members 31 which together form a composite lever 38. The lever members 31 are spaced apart and one thereof i' has its lower end offset as shown in Figure 2.

The upper end of the composite lever 38 carries a pivot pin 39 to which is pivoted an adjustable link 40. The adjustable link 40 is in turn pivoted at 4I to a bracket 42 connected with and forming a part of the cover superstructure I8.

The foundation 20 carries bearings 43 in which is mounted through trunnions 44 a uid pressure cylinder 45 within which operates a piston having a piston rod 45 pivoted to the `lever 38 at 41. Suitable fluid connections and control mechanisms, not shown, are provided for the lcylinder 45 so that fluid under pressure can be admitted at either side of the piston therein to move the piston in either direction as desired.

The lever 38 and link 4I) operable by the piston in the cylinder 45 are for the purpose of moving the cover 5 along the tracks 33 between its position above the furnace opening and its position offset therefrom. After the beams 24 have been tilted to their chain line position as shown in Figure 1, fluid is admitted to the left of the piston in the cylinder 45, which moves the piston toward the right, in turn drawing the piston rod 45 toward the right and swinging the lever 38y in clockwise direction about the axis of the pin' 36. Since the lever is connected with the cover by the adjustable link 40 it ydraws the cover with it. 'Ihe cover moves toward the right until its forward wheels strike the right-hand projections 34 on the tracks 33. The furnace is then open so .that ingots may be charged thereinto or removed therefrom.

To replace the cover on the furnace fluid under pressure is admitted to the right of the piston in the cylinder 45, viewing Figure 1, while the left-hand end of the cylinder is opened to ex, haust. This moves the piston toward the left which, in turn, causes the lever 38 to swing back in the counter-clockwise direction about the axis of the pin 36, pushing the cover 6 back to its position above the furnace opening. The cover stops when its left-hand wheels, viewing Figure 1, strike the left-hand projection 34 on the tracks 33. The fluid below the pistons in the cylinders 30 is then exhausted and the beams 24 settle by gravity to their lowermost positions, depositing the cover on the pipe I3 to close the furnace.

The beams 24 swing downwardly slightly farther than the cover so that after the cover. has been brought to rest upon the furnace the tracks 33 move out of contact with the cover. Thus any slight warping of the beams or tracks will not result in maintaining the coverin open position.

'I'he structure of the furnace including the provision of the burners 'I is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 559,500 led October 20, 1944, and the furnace closure, including the provision of the pipe I3 upon .which the cover rests when in closed position, is de.-

scrbed and claimed in my-Patent No. 2,407,047e

dated Sept. 3, 1946.

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A furnace cover operating mechanism for a furnace chamber or the like having an opening adapted to be closed by a furnace cover acting under the force of gravity, comprising in combination, a furnace cover adapted to close said opening when in operative position, said cover being further adapted to be substantially entirely removed from said opening by translatory movement only substantially in the plane of the closure effected by said cover, generally parallel rigid tracks extending on opposite sides respectively of said opening and adapted to support said cover during said translatory movement thereof, said tracks extending beyond said opening in the -direction of said removal of said cover a distance at least equal to the length of said cover in said direction of movement, spaced supporting members on one side of said cover adjacent at least one of said tracks, at least one supporting member on the opposite side of said cover adjacent at least another of said tracks, said supporting members adapted to be supported on said tracks for substantially rolling engagement therewith during said translatory movement of said cover, means for simultaneously moving said tracks at at least one end thereof when said cover is in operative position in a direction away from the bottom of said opening toward said opening to cause Said tracks to engage said supporting members and lift said cover out of said operative position, said means being further adapted to be moved in a direction toward the bottom of said opening to allow said cover to move into operative position and to disengage said tracks from said supporting members, a swingable member pivotally connected to said cover and adapted to move said cover when said tracks have lifted it out of operative position, means for swinging said swingable member, said means being substantially entirely positioned in the direction of the side of the exposed face of said cover when in operative position, whereby said cover in operative position remains unaffected by any warpage in said tracks and upon removal of said cover said cover does not extend substantially beyond the plane it occupied when in operative position.

2. A furnace cover operating mechanism for a furnace chamber or the like which opens upwardly, comprising in combination, a furnace cover adapted to close said opening when in operative position, said cover being further adapted to be substantially entirely removed from said opening by translatory movement only substantially in the plane of the closure effected by said cover, generally horizontal and parallel tracks spaced on opposite sides of said opening and extending beyond said opening a sufficient distance for said substantially entire removal of said cover by said translatory movement, spaced supporting members on each of opposite sides of said cover, said supporting members adapted to be supported on said tracks during movement of said cover, means for simultaneously elevating said tracks at at least one end thereof when said cover is in operative position to cause said tracks to engage said supporting members and lift said cover oif said furnace chamber opening, a lever substantially positioned adjacent and below said cover, said lever being pivotally fixed adjacent its lower end and linked adjacent its upper end to said cover, means for swinging said lever away from said furnace after said tracks have been elevated, whereby the closure between said furnace cover and said furnace chamber is broken and then said furnace cover is moved entirely to one side of said opening` by translatory movement in the plane of said cover.

3. A furnace cover operating mechanism for a furnace chamber or the like which opens upwardly, comprising in combination, a furnace cover lying substantially in a horizontal plane and adapted to close said opening when in operative position, said furnace cover being further adapted to be substantially entirely removed from said opening by translatory movement only substantially in the plane of said cover, generally horizontal and parallel rigid tracks spaced on opposite sides of said opening, said tracks extending beyond said opening a distance at least equal to the length of said cover in the direction of its movement, at least one pair of spaced wheels on one side of said cover and at least one wheel on the opposite side of said cover, said wheels adapted to be supported on said tracks during movement of said cover and to effect at least 3-point stable suspension, hydraulic means for simultaneously elevating said tracks at at least the end thereof adjacent said opening when said cover is in operative position to cause said tracks to engage said wheels and lift said cover off said furnace chamber opening, said hydraulic means being further adapted to lower said tracks at at least said end adjacent said opening after said furnace cover has been recharged and said cover returned to a position over said opening in order to lower said cover into operative position and to disengage said tracks from said wheels, stops on at least one of said tracks to limit the translatory movement of said cover, a lever substantially positioned in a vertical plane about midway between said tracks and below said cover, said lever being pivotally fixed adjacent its lower end, an adjustable link connecting said lever adjacent its upper end to said cover, said lever being adapted to swing to effect said translatory movement of said cover, said lever further being away from said opening in the direction of removal of said cover therefrom, and hydraulic means for swinging said lever after said tracks have been elevated to effect such translatory removal of said cover from a position above its operative position, whereby said cover in operative position closes said opening irrespective of any warpage in said tracks and may be removed without excessive friction or extending substantially above its normal operative position.

CARL H. WEST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 569,485 Berg Oct. 13, 1896 942,265 Kling Dec. 7, 1909 1,594,588 Baily Aug. 3, 1926 1,655,478 Rockefeller Jan. 10, 1928 1,789,989 Shonnard Jan. 27, 1931 1,881,338 Wright Oct. 4, 1932 2,313,095 Schneider Mar. 9, 1943 

